Saturday, August 14, 2004
Our Duty As Citizens
If Rick Santorum can't be bothered, why should we?
Bender: How come Andrew gets to get up? If he gets up, we'll all get up, IT'LL BE ANARCHY!
I'm sure someone here knows this film.
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If Rick Santorum can't be bothered, why should we?
Bender: How come Andrew gets to get up? If he gets up, we'll all get up, IT'LL BE ANARCHY!
I'm sure someone here knows this film.
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Harken Smacks Down Cheney
The Iowa Senator say, what I'm sure, lots of people are thinking:
...Harkin also shot back at Cheney, who said in a visit to Iowa on Tuesday that presidential candidate John Kerry lacks a basic understanding of the war on terrorism and cannot make America safer.
He noted that Cheney had several student deferments that allowed him to skip serving in Vietnam.
"When I hear this coming from Dick Cheney, who was a coward, who would not serve during the Vietnam War, it makes my blood boil,' Harkin said. 'Those of us who served and those of us who went in the military don't like it when someone like a Dick Cheney comes out and he wants to be tough. Yeah, he'll be tough. He'll be tough with somebody else's blood, somebody else's kids. But not when it was his turn to go."...
This needs to be repeated. Often.
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The Iowa Senator say, what I'm sure, lots of people are thinking:
...Harkin also shot back at Cheney, who said in a visit to Iowa on Tuesday that presidential candidate John Kerry lacks a basic understanding of the war on terrorism and cannot make America safer.
He noted that Cheney had several student deferments that allowed him to skip serving in Vietnam.
"When I hear this coming from Dick Cheney, who was a coward, who would not serve during the Vietnam War, it makes my blood boil,' Harkin said. 'Those of us who served and those of us who went in the military don't like it when someone like a Dick Cheney comes out and he wants to be tough. Yeah, he'll be tough. He'll be tough with somebody else's blood, somebody else's kids. But not when it was his turn to go."...
This needs to be repeated. Often.
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What The Hell
Sickening:
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 - April 21 was an unusually violent day in Iraq; 68 people died in a car bombing in Basra, among them 23 children. As the news went from bad to worse, President Bush took a tough line, vowing to a group of journalists, 'We're not going to cut and run while I'm in the Oval Office.'
On the same day, deep within the turgid pages of the Federal Register, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published a regulation that would forbid the public release of some data relating to unsafe motor vehicles, saying that publicizing the information would cause 'substantial competitive harm' to manufacturers.
As soon as the rule was published, consumer groups yelped in complaint, while the government responded that it was trying to balance the interests of consumers with the competitive needs of business. But hardly anyone else noticed, and that was hardly an isolated case...
(...)
Scott McClellan, the chief White House spokesman, said of the changes, "The president's common-sense policies reflect the values of America, whether it is cracking down on corporate wrongdoing or eliminating burdensome regulations to create jobs."...
My emphasis.
I suppose it would be considered common sense to Bush because he's taking care of his "base", you know, the people who give him money.
UPDATE: I can't spell.
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Sickening:
WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 - April 21 was an unusually violent day in Iraq; 68 people died in a car bombing in Basra, among them 23 children. As the news went from bad to worse, President Bush took a tough line, vowing to a group of journalists, 'We're not going to cut and run while I'm in the Oval Office.'
On the same day, deep within the turgid pages of the Federal Register, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published a regulation that would forbid the public release of some data relating to unsafe motor vehicles, saying that publicizing the information would cause 'substantial competitive harm' to manufacturers.
As soon as the rule was published, consumer groups yelped in complaint, while the government responded that it was trying to balance the interests of consumers with the competitive needs of business. But hardly anyone else noticed, and that was hardly an isolated case...
(...)
Scott McClellan, the chief White House spokesman, said of the changes, "The president's common-sense policies reflect the values of America, whether it is cracking down on corporate wrongdoing or eliminating burdensome regulations to create jobs."...
My emphasis.
I suppose it would be considered common sense to Bush because he's taking care of his "base", you know, the people who give him money.
UPDATE: I can't spell.
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More Food For Our Undecided Friends
The New York Times with a story about the 4,000+ scientists, including 48 Nobel Prize winners who disagree with the Bush Administration's use of science:
...In the past, individual scientists and science organizations have occasionally piped up to oppose specific federal policies such as Ronald Reagan's Star Wars missile defense plan. But this is the first time that a broad spectrum of the scientific community has expressed opposition to a president's overall science policy...
There are several examples in the article of specific cases where the current Administration has misused or completely altered findings by the science world.
And let's not forget about an issue that did not appear in the aformentioned article. There was the little thing that had to do with the EPA declaring the air in Lower Manhattan safe one week after 9/11/01 when reliable information on air quality was not available. Investigations into this were quashed by the Congress.
UPDATE: This site gives One Thousand Reasons why voting for Bush is a bad idea. Complete with supporting links. (It's a book too!)
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The New York Times with a story about the 4,000+ scientists, including 48 Nobel Prize winners who disagree with the Bush Administration's use of science:
...In the past, individual scientists and science organizations have occasionally piped up to oppose specific federal policies such as Ronald Reagan's Star Wars missile defense plan. But this is the first time that a broad spectrum of the scientific community has expressed opposition to a president's overall science policy...
There are several examples in the article of specific cases where the current Administration has misused or completely altered findings by the science world.
And let's not forget about an issue that did not appear in the aformentioned article. There was the little thing that had to do with the EPA declaring the air in Lower Manhattan safe one week after 9/11/01 when reliable information on air quality was not available. Investigations into this were quashed by the Congress.
UPDATE: This site gives One Thousand Reasons why voting for Bush is a bad idea. Complete with supporting links. (It's a book too!)
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More Music
The WaPo is offering MP3 downloads.
Searching for Ashcroft & Lott's band. Unsuccessfully thus far.
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The WaPo is offering MP3 downloads.
Searching for Ashcroft & Lott's band. Unsuccessfully thus far.
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Friday, August 13, 2004
Phillies Baseball: Grab It!
Thanks to California based Berry's World, for this tidbit from the Phillies broadcast tonight. From the TV Barn:
Probably just as well that this is the last “Audio Access” in-game chat of the season. As Comcast Cable was chatting with Phillies manager Larry Bowa between innings, a player stepped into what he thought was a private, discreet place and adjusted his crotch — liberally. Not only did the Philadelphia area see this, but everyone watching the game in high definition, including me, over the INHD channel.
For the record the Phillies lost tonight 16-6 giving up six home runs in the process. Including three by 76 year old J.T. Snow.
Perhaps the Fightin's would have better luck if their cups were rightside out from the start. And why is Bowa smiling?
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Thanks to California based Berry's World, for this tidbit from the Phillies broadcast tonight. From the TV Barn:
Probably just as well that this is the last “Audio Access” in-game chat of the season. As Comcast Cable was chatting with Phillies manager Larry Bowa between innings, a player stepped into what he thought was a private, discreet place and adjusted his crotch — liberally. Not only did the Philadelphia area see this, but everyone watching the game in high definition, including me, over the INHD channel.
For the record the Phillies lost tonight 16-6 giving up six home runs in the process. Including three by 76 year old J.T. Snow.
Perhaps the Fightin's would have better luck if their cups were rightside out from the start. And why is Bowa smiling?
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First Lady Takes a Stand on Stem Cell Research
Let's not forget our swimmies in the deep end!
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Let's not forget our swimmies in the deep end!
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More Legal Trouble for the GOP?
Josh Marshall reminds us of the NH election day 2002 phone jamming case where a Republican funded company arranged , "...for a barrage of hang-up calls to phone banks doing get-out-the-vote work for the Dems, thus putting them out of commission for most of election day morning."
Two people connected to the case have pled guilty to Federal charges in the case but there is one more person the authorities are looking for...
Go take a look. A short, interesting read.
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Josh Marshall reminds us of the NH election day 2002 phone jamming case where a Republican funded company arranged , "...for a barrage of hang-up calls to phone banks doing get-out-the-vote work for the Dems, thus putting them out of commission for most of election day morning."
Two people connected to the case have pled guilty to Federal charges in the case but there is one more person the authorities are looking for...
Go take a look. A short, interesting read.
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Could It Happen To You?
Friend of Uncle Horns, Red Wolf, published this story at Axis of Logic detailing what must be one of millions of stories like it.
You don't think health care is an issue? Read it.
Red Wolf also keeps a blog called Politically Cherry from the compound in rural PA. Check it out and when you go, as Red Wolf says, 'skip the bullshit, and jump to the index. Unless you're into bullshit.' in referring to the introductory piece written about the site.
From Red Wolf's home page:
This site is dedicated to the memory of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman,
and Michael Schwerner, volunteer civil rights workers who were murdered
in Mississippi during the summer of 1964 while helping to register black voters.
From now on you'll be able to find Politically Cherry on the blogroll to your left.
UPDATE: Tweaked the wording of this post a little.
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Friend of Uncle Horns, Red Wolf, published this story at Axis of Logic detailing what must be one of millions of stories like it.
You don't think health care is an issue? Read it.
Red Wolf also keeps a blog called Politically Cherry from the compound in rural PA. Check it out and when you go, as Red Wolf says, 'skip the bullshit, and jump to the index. Unless you're into bullshit.' in referring to the introductory piece written about the site.
From Red Wolf's home page:
This site is dedicated to the memory of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman,
and Michael Schwerner, volunteer civil rights workers who were murdered
in Mississippi during the summer of 1964 while helping to register black voters.
From now on you'll be able to find Politically Cherry on the blogroll to your left.
UPDATE: Tweaked the wording of this post a little.
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Seniors Want Imported Drugs
Thankfully, they vote.
UPDATE: Blondesense has this post about the Administrations's reason we can't have drugs imported. Get this: Terrorism!
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Thankfully, they vote.
UPDATE: Blondesense has this post about the Administrations's reason we can't have drugs imported. Get this: Terrorism!
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Patrick Vieira Staying at Arsenal
Phew. After flirting with a move to Real Madrid the Arsenal midfielder has said his ties to Highbury are, "...too strong."
It doesn't hurt that three other Frenchmen are normally in the starting 11 and that PV4 plays for the best manager in the world, Arsene Wenger, who also happens to be French.
The season commences on Sunday at 2p GMT.
Allez Gunners!
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Phew. After flirting with a move to Real Madrid the Arsenal midfielder has said his ties to Highbury are, "...too strong."
It doesn't hurt that three other Frenchmen are normally in the starting 11 and that PV4 plays for the best manager in the world, Arsene Wenger, who also happens to be French.
The season commences on Sunday at 2p GMT.
Allez Gunners!
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The Washington Post on (the lack of) WMDs
Though not apologizing to their readers, the WaPo's Howard Kurtz says their paper could have done more to promote their questions about the march to war. Too often, stories questioning the validity of WMD claims were buried deep in the A section whille Adminstration assertions got top billing, above the fold.
This isn't the major mea culpa that the NY Times delivered a couple of months back but, for people who are critical of the media and their un-questioning practices, it's a start.
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Though not apologizing to their readers, the WaPo's Howard Kurtz says their paper could have done more to promote their questions about the march to war. Too often, stories questioning the validity of WMD claims were buried deep in the A section whille Adminstration assertions got top billing, above the fold.
This isn't the major mea culpa that the NY Times delivered a couple of months back but, for people who are critical of the media and their un-questioning practices, it's a start.
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Thursday, August 12, 2004
X-Games Go Left
Eric at The Hamster shares the AP story about sports & politics. Surfer Kelly Slater, above, does her part:
...Kelly Slater slapped a "Kerry-Edwards'' sticker on his surfboard, and Andy Macdonald wrote "Regime change in the USA'' on his skateboard's grip tape.
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Eric at The Hamster shares the AP story about sports & politics. Surfer Kelly Slater, above, does her part:
...Kelly Slater slapped a "Kerry-Edwards'' sticker on his surfboard, and Andy Macdonald wrote "Regime change in the USA'' on his skateboard's grip tape.
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All Verifiable
If you're as frustrated as I am regarding the current direction our country us headed I encourage you to read this post from Maryscott O'Connor. Excellent ammo for friends and family who are still planning on voting for Bush. Some good comments at the bottom of the page as well.
Sharing/Printing Tip: Highlight the entire story and copy to a word document. It prints wonderfully with all bullet points and indentations intact.
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If you're as frustrated as I am regarding the current direction our country us headed I encourage you to read this post from Maryscott O'Connor. Excellent ammo for friends and family who are still planning on voting for Bush. Some good comments at the bottom of the page as well.
Sharing/Printing Tip: Highlight the entire story and copy to a word document. It prints wonderfully with all bullet points and indentations intact.
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Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Fuzzy Math: Taxpayer Rip-Off Edition
It looks like Dick Cheney's former company is at it again. According to recent audits Halliburton has, "...inadequately accounted for more that $1.8 billion of work in Iraq, representing 43 percent of the $4.2 billion that its subsidiary has billed so far for feeding and housing troops in Iraq and Kuwait."
The costs for those empty trucks add up pretty quick.
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It looks like Dick Cheney's former company is at it again. According to recent audits Halliburton has, "...inadequately accounted for more that $1.8 billion of work in Iraq, representing 43 percent of the $4.2 billion that its subsidiary has billed so far for feeding and housing troops in Iraq and Kuwait."
The costs for those empty trucks add up pretty quick.
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Over 6,000 Americans Wounded in Middle East
6,120 to be exact:
The U.S. war on terrorism has wounded about 6,120 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Washington Post said.
Many soldiers are treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where doctors have seen 3,358 soldiers from Operation Iraqi Freedom, including 741 battle casualties. The rest have suffered from non-combat conditions ranging from heat exhaustion to road accidents, the Post said.
A spokesman for Walter Reed said the hospital spent $42.3 million in fiscal 2003 treating wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan. In fiscal 2004, the cost has been $37.1 million, and that is expected to rise, the Post said.
Where is the good news? Hopefully it will come on November 2nd.
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6,120 to be exact:
The U.S. war on terrorism has wounded about 6,120 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Washington Post said.
Many soldiers are treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where doctors have seen 3,358 soldiers from Operation Iraqi Freedom, including 741 battle casualties. The rest have suffered from non-combat conditions ranging from heat exhaustion to road accidents, the Post said.
A spokesman for Walter Reed said the hospital spent $42.3 million in fiscal 2003 treating wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan. In fiscal 2004, the cost has been $37.1 million, and that is expected to rise, the Post said.
Where is the good news? Hopefully it will come on November 2nd.
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More Porter Goss
Regarding the alleged leak of CIA agent's name by administration officials:
..."I would say there's a much larger dose of partisan politics going on right now than there is worry about national security," said Goss, R-Sanibel. "But I would never take lightly a serious allegation backed up by evidence that there was a willful -- and I emphasize willful, inadvertent is something else -- willful disclosure, and I haven't seen any evidence."
Goss said he would act if he did have evidence of that sort.
"Somebody sends me a blue dress and some DNA, I'll have an investigation," Goss said...
Politics? Nah, couldn't be.
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Regarding the alleged leak of CIA agent's name by administration officials:
..."I would say there's a much larger dose of partisan politics going on right now than there is worry about national security," said Goss, R-Sanibel. "But I would never take lightly a serious allegation backed up by evidence that there was a willful -- and I emphasize willful, inadvertent is something else -- willful disclosure, and I haven't seen any evidence."
Goss said he would act if he did have evidence of that sort.
"Somebody sends me a blue dress and some DNA, I'll have an investigation," Goss said...
Politics? Nah, couldn't be.
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Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Is Slamming High Fidelity Cool?
I've just been alerted to the presence of MP3 Blogs through this piece. It features an excellent discussion of music (online and elsewhere.)
There are also a couple of mentions of the aforementioned movie starring John Cusack based on the book of the same name by English writer (and Arsenal devotee) Nick Hornby.
Look for an MP3 bloggers section to your left very soon.
UPDATE: Make that very very soon. I had a concern about the legality of downloading music but after leaving a comment at the diverse largehearted boy the proprietor emailed me back saying everything was on the up-and-up (at least on his site). So I downloaded a couple of live performances by Rufus Wainwright (Hallelujah and Cigarettes & Chocolate Milk) to get the ball rolling. And now I'm going to add a new blogroll section. Take a look at these sites. The majority of the music they are sharing are from little known artists who aren't beholden to Clear Channel, Infinity or Viacom. A refreshing change. And while you're at it take a look at WXPN, which is one of the best things about Philadelphia and one of the finest radio stations in the country.
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I've just been alerted to the presence of MP3 Blogs through this piece. It features an excellent discussion of music (online and elsewhere.)
There are also a couple of mentions of the aforementioned movie starring John Cusack based on the book of the same name by English writer (and Arsenal devotee) Nick Hornby.
Look for an MP3 bloggers section to your left very soon.
UPDATE: Make that very very soon. I had a concern about the legality of downloading music but after leaving a comment at the diverse largehearted boy the proprietor emailed me back saying everything was on the up-and-up (at least on his site). So I downloaded a couple of live performances by Rufus Wainwright (Hallelujah and Cigarettes & Chocolate Milk) to get the ball rolling. And now I'm going to add a new blogroll section. Take a look at these sites. The majority of the music they are sharing are from little known artists who aren't beholden to Clear Channel, Infinity or Viacom. A refreshing change. And while you're at it take a look at WXPN, which is one of the best things about Philadelphia and one of the finest radio stations in the country.
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September is 'National Preparedness Month'
Read this post at This Modern World and try not to be sick. How low will they go? Ugh.
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Read this post at This Modern World and try not to be sick. How low will they go? Ugh.
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Corporations Using Blogs
A cool article from yesterday's U.K. Guardian about how corporations are utilizing the blogosphere to track how people are feeling about their products/brands and to give blog readers advance word of product launches to create a buzz. Sounds pretty savvy to me.
It would be a good idea for the canned meat company, SPAM, to partake in this. They must be hurting after their fine product's name was slapped on junk email. Has anyone ever done a brand study on this?
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A cool article from yesterday's U.K. Guardian about how corporations are utilizing the blogosphere to track how people are feeling about their products/brands and to give blog readers advance word of product launches to create a buzz. Sounds pretty savvy to me.
It would be a good idea for the canned meat company, SPAM, to partake in this. They must be hurting after their fine product's name was slapped on junk email. Has anyone ever done a brand study on this?
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Um
From a campaign stop in VA Virginia yesterday:
...Bush also said high taxes on the rich are a failed strategy because, "the really rich people figure out how to dodge taxes anyway..."
Nice.
(Post title is a blatant rip-off from Sugar, Mr. Poon)
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From a campaign stop in VA Virginia yesterday:
...Bush also said high taxes on the rich are a failed strategy because, "the really rich people figure out how to dodge taxes anyway..."
Nice.
(Post title is a blatant rip-off from Sugar, Mr. Poon)
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Porter Goss Nominated as New CIA Chief
Florida Republican and Yale graduate Porter Goss was selected to be the new Head of the CIA pending Senate confirmation:
...Although administration officials have privately predicted that winning Senate confirmation for Goss would be little more than a formality, some Democrats have disagreed and predicted such hearings would assertively probe both the CIA's performance under Bush and Goss's fitness for the job...
And then there is this on the debate regarding last month's intelligence authoriaztion bill:
...The report on the bill by Goss's panel sharply criticized the CIA for "ignoring its core missional activities" and having "a dysfunctional denial of any need for corrective action."
In an unusually frank letter, (Former CIA Head, George) Tenet wrote Goss that his criticism was "ill informed" and "frankly absurd."
I wonder what this means for the 9/11 Commission's recommendation to have a single person head a single entity to oversee and share intelligence for all of the beauracracies?
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Florida Republican and Yale graduate Porter Goss was selected to be the new Head of the CIA pending Senate confirmation:
...Although administration officials have privately predicted that winning Senate confirmation for Goss would be little more than a formality, some Democrats have disagreed and predicted such hearings would assertively probe both the CIA's performance under Bush and Goss's fitness for the job...
And then there is this on the debate regarding last month's intelligence authoriaztion bill:
...The report on the bill by Goss's panel sharply criticized the CIA for "ignoring its core missional activities" and having "a dysfunctional denial of any need for corrective action."
In an unusually frank letter, (Former CIA Head, George) Tenet wrote Goss that his criticism was "ill informed" and "frankly absurd."
I wonder what this means for the 9/11 Commission's recommendation to have a single person head a single entity to oversee and share intelligence for all of the beauracracies?
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Monday, August 09, 2004
Keyes vs. Obama
Alan Keyes is jumping into the Illinois Senate race with both feet:
...Keyes said Obama's vote against a bill that would have outlawed a form of late-term abortion denied unborn children of their equal rights. "I would still be picking cotton if the country's moral principles had not been shaped by the Declaration of Independence," Keyes said, according to the Associated Press. He said Obama "has broken and rejected those principles -- he has taken the slaveholder's position."...
I was looking around the web trying to find some good Alan Keyes quotes and was struck that he often sounds like Mike Tyson's manager in the late 80s/early 90s, Don King. Their polysyllabic worded rambling often leaves me seeking a Black Bush on the rocks.
I'll leave you with one last quote from Keyes speaking about Hillary Clinton running for a NY Senate seat a couple of years back:
“I deeply resent the destruction of federalism represented by Hillary Clinton's willingness to go into a state she doesn't even live in and pretend to represent people there, so I certainly wouldn't imitate it."
Mr. Keyes is a resident ofhypocritsylvania Maryland.
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Alan Keyes is jumping into the Illinois Senate race with both feet:
...Keyes said Obama's vote against a bill that would have outlawed a form of late-term abortion denied unborn children of their equal rights. "I would still be picking cotton if the country's moral principles had not been shaped by the Declaration of Independence," Keyes said, according to the Associated Press. He said Obama "has broken and rejected those principles -- he has taken the slaveholder's position."...
I was looking around the web trying to find some good Alan Keyes quotes and was struck that he often sounds like Mike Tyson's manager in the late 80s/early 90s, Don King. Their polysyllabic worded rambling often leaves me seeking a Black Bush on the rocks.
I'll leave you with one last quote from Keyes speaking about Hillary Clinton running for a NY Senate seat a couple of years back:
“I deeply resent the destruction of federalism represented by Hillary Clinton's willingness to go into a state she doesn't even live in and pretend to represent people there, so I certainly wouldn't imitate it."
Mr. Keyes is a resident of
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Swift Boat Vets For Bush
Interesting story yesterday in the Oregonian about the politics of the GOP financed Vietnam Vets smearing Kerry.
I'm not sure the Bush/Cheney campaign should continue to play this card when the President still has several unanswered questions about his own military service. I'd wager the Kerry campaign will not hesitate to make it an issue if the smears continue.
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Interesting story yesterday in the Oregonian about the politics of the GOP financed Vietnam Vets smearing Kerry.
I'm not sure the Bush/Cheney campaign should continue to play this card when the President still has several unanswered questions about his own military service. I'd wager the Kerry campaign will not hesitate to make it an issue if the smears continue.
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Ever Hear a President Get Laughed At?
You have now.
Click on "having a nervous breakdown" in the initial post.
Don't look for this on the nightly news.
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You have now.
Click on "having a nervous breakdown" in the initial post.
Don't look for this on the nightly news.
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Sunday, August 08, 2004
Trading One Brutal Iraqi Regime for Another - Caution: Graphic Photo Follows Story
Things aren't improving. In fact, U.S. Troops may have taught their Iraqi replacements a thing or two:
The national guardsman peering through the long-range scope of his rifle was startled by what he saw unfolding in the walled compound below.
From his post several stories above ground level, he watched as men in plainclothes beat blindfolded and bound prisoners in the enclosed grounds of the Iraqi Interior Ministry.
He immediately radioed for help. Soon after, a team of Oregon Army National Guard soldiers swept into the yard and found dozens of Iraqi detainees who said they had been beaten, starved and deprived of water for three days.
In a nearby building, the soldiers counted dozens more prisoners and what appeared to be torture devices -- metal rods, rubber hoses, electrical wires and bottles of chemicals. Many of the Iraqis, including one identified as a 14-year-old boy, had fresh welts and bruises across their back and legs.
The soldiers disarmed the Iraqi jailers, moved the prisoners into the shade, released their handcuffs and administered first aid. Lt. Col. Daniel Hendrickson of Albany, Ore., the highest ranking American at the scene, radioed for instructions.
But in a move that frustrated and infuriated the guardsmen, Hendrickson's superior officers told him to return the prisoners to their abusers and immediately withdraw. It was June 29 -- Iraq's first official day as a sovereign country since the U.S.-led invasion.
Thanks to Kos for alerting us to this story.
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Things aren't improving. In fact, U.S. Troops may have taught their Iraqi replacements a thing or two:
The national guardsman peering through the long-range scope of his rifle was startled by what he saw unfolding in the walled compound below.
From his post several stories above ground level, he watched as men in plainclothes beat blindfolded and bound prisoners in the enclosed grounds of the Iraqi Interior Ministry.
He immediately radioed for help. Soon after, a team of Oregon Army National Guard soldiers swept into the yard and found dozens of Iraqi detainees who said they had been beaten, starved and deprived of water for three days.
In a nearby building, the soldiers counted dozens more prisoners and what appeared to be torture devices -- metal rods, rubber hoses, electrical wires and bottles of chemicals. Many of the Iraqis, including one identified as a 14-year-old boy, had fresh welts and bruises across their back and legs.
The soldiers disarmed the Iraqi jailers, moved the prisoners into the shade, released their handcuffs and administered first aid. Lt. Col. Daniel Hendrickson of Albany, Ore., the highest ranking American at the scene, radioed for instructions.
But in a move that frustrated and infuriated the guardsmen, Hendrickson's superior officers told him to return the prisoners to their abusers and immediately withdraw. It was June 29 -- Iraq's first official day as a sovereign country since the U.S.-led invasion.
Thanks to Kos for alerting us to this story.
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Our North American Neighbors...
...really, really, really hate President Bush.
Some astonishing statistics here, particularly south of the border*.
*No, not the store at the NC/SC state line on Route 95, I meant Mexico. But I did get some plastic tumblers at the tourist trap once. Classy.
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...really, really, really hate President Bush.
Some astonishing statistics here, particularly south of the border*.
*No, not the store at the NC/SC state line on Route 95, I meant Mexico. But I did get some plastic tumblers at the tourist trap once. Classy.
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Philly Future: Cool New Feature
Karl at Philly Future.org has added an aggregator to his site that tracks all of the recent posts from Philly area bloggers. This is in addition to the word press feature that allows anyone, after registering, to post at Philly Future.
Sweet!
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Karl at Philly Future.org has added an aggregator to his site that tracks all of the recent posts from Philly area bloggers. This is in addition to the word press feature that allows anyone, after registering, to post at Philly Future.
Sweet!
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Arsenal Win Community Shield
In the unofficial start to the Premiership season Arsenal picked up right where they left off last year with a 3-1 win over Manchester United in the "competitive friendly" at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Arsenal were without Campbell, Vieira, Ljungberg & Pires. The latter with a slight muscle strain.
In a disgusting display of hooliganism two ManU supporters were arrested after throwing a bottle and cigarette lighter at Arsenal striker Thierry Henry.
The real matches begin next Saturday. It's been over a year since Aresnal has lost in the Premiership. Giddyup.
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In the unofficial start to the Premiership season Arsenal picked up right where they left off last year with a 3-1 win over Manchester United in the "competitive friendly" at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Arsenal were without Campbell, Vieira, Ljungberg & Pires. The latter with a slight muscle strain.
In a disgusting display of hooliganism two ManU supporters were arrested after throwing a bottle and cigarette lighter at Arsenal striker Thierry Henry.
The real matches begin next Saturday. It's been over a year since Aresnal has lost in the Premiership. Giddyup.
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Cheney to Testify 2 - Perjury on Parade
In a story you read about here a couple of months ago, it looks like the defense for Pfc. Lynndie England still wants to put Dick Cheney on the stand in England's trial stemming from abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq:
...Cheney was among a long wish-list of potential witnesses, which included many of the generals involved with the prison. Defense lawyers did not explain in open court Saturday why they want Cheney's testimony.
The hearing officer, Col. Denise Arn, said she will study the request but gave no indication when or how she might rule.
The hearing was adjourned, and Arn set no date for when it might resume. England's lawyers speculated that the hearing might reconvene in a month...
Again, it's doubtful this will happen. Although Colonel Arn might want to polish up her resume if she compels Cheney to testify.
I hear Wal-Mart may be hiring. Oh, wait...
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In a story you read about here a couple of months ago, it looks like the defense for Pfc. Lynndie England still wants to put Dick Cheney on the stand in England's trial stemming from abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq:
...Cheney was among a long wish-list of potential witnesses, which included many of the generals involved with the prison. Defense lawyers did not explain in open court Saturday why they want Cheney's testimony.
The hearing officer, Col. Denise Arn, said she will study the request but gave no indication when or how she might rule.
The hearing was adjourned, and Arn set no date for when it might resume. England's lawyers speculated that the hearing might reconvene in a month...
Again, it's doubtful this will happen. Although Colonel Arn might want to polish up her resume if she compels Cheney to testify.
I hear Wal-Mart may be hiring. Oh, wait...
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